Automatically-closing bulkhead-door



T. L FERSTER AND L. J. PFUND,

AuToMAncALLYl cLoslNG BULKHEAD noos.

APPLlCATION -FlLED MAY 8,1918- 1,337,060. Patelltd Apr. 13, QZ.

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T J FOERSTEH ANDL J PFUND AUTOMATICALLY CLUSING BULKHEAD DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED M.A,Y-8, 1918.

Patented Apr. 13,1920.

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UNITED STATES `PAIIEIII GFFICE.

TOM J'. FOERSTER AND LEWIS J. PFUND, OF AUBURN', MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATICALLY-CLOSING BULKHEAD-DOOR.

Application led May 8, 1918.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, ToM J. Fonns'rnn and LEWIS J. PFUND, citizens of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Closing Bulkhead-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

rllhis invention relates to improvements in ships and more particularly to automatically closing bulkhead doors therefor, and it is the principal object of the invention to provide a device so constructed as to prevent the sinking of the vessel irrespective of the extent of damage done to the hull thereof.

Another and equally important object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character described having a plurality of air and water tight compartments which are provided with means operable at a predetermined period upon the damaging of the vessel hull whereby the cut-ofi' or closure means of the compartment adjacent the damaged portion of the hull will be closed and as a consequence, prevent the flooding of the remaining compartments inl order that the vessel may remain floating.

Other and further improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of parts will be appreciated from the description to follow, which for a clear understanding of the invention should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved vessel having a part 0f the same broken away,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section therethrough,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through one of the compartments,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail in section showing the engagement of the catch member with the closure member of a compartment,

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of said catch, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail in section showing a slightly modified form of arrangement of the door.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Serial No. 233,216.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like reference characters will designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings, 1 represents the hull of our improved vessel, the same being divided into a plurality of compartments or rooms generally indicated by the numeral 2, each of said rooms having' doorways 3 arranged therein whereby to render the same communicating. Doors generally indicated by the numeral 4 are hingedly mounted adjacent the various ways 3 and are so constructed as to provide an absolute airtight connection between the same and the adjacent portions of the door jambs when closed, brackets 5 being secured to the free marginal portions of said doors and engaged with contractile springs 6 having their remaining ends connected as at 7 to portions of the walls of said compartments. Hence, it will be readily appreciated that the doors 4 will be normally urged to move to their closed position and in this way, render the various compartments 2 independent of each other.

Portions of the flooring of the compartments are recessed as at 8 and have pivotally mounted therein catch levers 9 as at 10, certain of the ends of said levers being provided with catch elements 11 while the remaining ends are off-set as at 12 and carry iioats 13 thereon. As shown in the Fig. 4, the catch element 11 of the lever 9 will be moved upwardly for a distance above the surface of the flooring of the various compartments and as a consequence will serve to engage the adjacent portions of the doors 4, thus maintaining said doors in open position against the tension of contractile springs 6.

In the Fig. 6 we have shown a slightly modied arrangement of the catch lever, said lever in this particular embodiment being indicated by the numeral 14 and carrying a float 15 on one end thereof while the other end is formed with a catch member similar to the member 11 which is so positioned with respect to the lower portion of the door as to engage the same intermediate its respective sides. By so arranging the catch, it will be understood that the same will be in an out-of-the-way position and shielded by the arrangement of the door engaged thereby when in open position.

In operation, should the hull l of the vessel be damaged, water will be permitted to flow therethrough into the compartment adjacent said damaged portion; the water engaging the float 13 and causing the same to be raised. Such movement of the oat will rock the lever 9 and as a consequence withdraw the catch element 11 from engagement with the door 4 thus releasing the same and permitting it to be instantly moved to closed position by reason of its connection with the contractile springs 6. In this way, the compartment adjacent the damaged portion of the hull will be completely cut off from the remaining` compartments of the ship and therefore the flooding of the remaining compartments will be prevented due to the water tight connection between the door and its respective jamb. Thus, the vessel will be allowed to remain floating.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the scope of our claim, we consider within the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

A bulkhead door of the character described, comprising a swinging closure for a bulkhead, spring means engaged with said closure for normally urging the same into closed position, a catch lever having a major straight portion with an upwardly curved end, the straight portion being movably counterseated beneath the lower edge of said closure and pivotally supported, the other end of the lever being formed with a beveled latch extremity for tripping engagement with the closure on the opening thereof for maintaining the same normally in open position, and a float carried upon the curved end of said lever.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures hereto.

TOM J. FOERSTER. LEWIS J. PFUND. 

